The top reported proficiency rate is 56% in English language arts. The lowest is 44% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Garwood Elementary School
Garwood Elementary School sits on Ramsey Road in Rathdrum, a growing residential community in the Idaho Panhandle. Rathdrum retains a small-town feel despite rapid expansion driven by its position within the Coeur d'Alene metropolitan area, roughly a dozen miles northwest of that city and about two dozen miles east of Spokane. The town sits at the base of Rathdrum Mountain on the Rathdrum Prairie, at the crossroads of State Highways 41 and 53. A historic downtown along Main Street still holds buildings from the late nineteenth century, including Saint Stanislaus Church, the oldest brick church in Idaho. Schools here appear woven into the residential fabric rather than set apart on large campuses, consistent with Rathdrum's compact layout. The BNSF Railway line runs through town, and civic anchors include City Hall and the Old County Jail Museum, a remnant of Rathdrum's earlier role as the first county seat of Kootenai County. Publicly reported accounts describe a population that has grown substantially over recent census cycles, part of the broader residential expansion across Kootenai County.
Garwood is a regular public school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, part of the Lakeland District. The enrollment is moderate for an elementary school in this region. The student body is predominantly white, with a smaller Hispanic presence and a small share of students identified as two or more races. About a quarter of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school does not carry a charter or magnet designation. Data on Title I status was not available in the sources reviewed. Information on students with individualized education programs and English learners was missing, so those populations could not be characterized here.
On the most recent Idaho ISAT, Garwood's results paint a mixed picture that shifts across grade levels. In math, proficiency is moderate in third grade, dips in fourth, and drops further in fifth. The pattern suggests a parent may want to look into how math instruction is sequenced across the upper grades, particularly as students prepare to transition to middle school. English language arts tells a different story. Third and fourth grade proficiency sits in a middling range, while fifth grade ELA stands out as a clear strength, with a substantial majority of tested students reaching proficiency. Fifth grade science, the only science grade reported at this level, lands below half proficient, which is a softer result a parent might want to discuss with the school.
Average scale scores and participation rates were not available for any grade or subject, so a fuller picture of student performance beyond the proficiency rate was not possible. Trend data was limited and did not allow for a reliable year-over-year read.
Housing in the Rathdrum area sits well above both state and national benchmarks for typical home values, and rents are also elevated relative to many parts of Idaho. The price-to-income ratio is high, reflecting the broader affordability pressure that has accompanied the region's growth. Mortgage rates remain in the mid-six-percent range. For families considering a move here, the housing market carries real cost weight, and renting is meaningfully less expensive month-to-month than carrying a mortgage, though both sit at levels that strain household budgets for many.
The school environment data was thin. No discipline, attendance, staffing, or course-access information was available in the sources provided. Walkability and street-life details for Rathdrum were not found in the research, and no major employer information surfaced. The district brief returned no specific results on recent levy, bond, or referendum activity, so any planned capital improvements or program changes at the district level could not be confirmed here.
What the available picture does show is a growing community school with solid fifth-grade literacy results, a math trajectory worth watching, and a housing market that reflects Rathdrum's appeal as a residential destination within the Coeur d'Alene metro. Families drawn to small-town character with regional access to Coeur d'Alene and Spokane will find that here, alongside the cost pressures that growth has brought to the area.
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